Winter Newsletter 2006

Friends of Tunk is no longer incorporated as a not-for-profit. Please do not send checks made out to FoT. Support the volunteer of your choice. We will continue our watershed protection work as a group of concerned citizens. Our programs are being streamlined into a single volunteer watershed monitoring effort. The informal third weekend of the month hike and paddle will continue with the permanent schedule that has evolved over the years. All administrative aspects of the group, including this newsletter, will be handled by our website. Winter Council will be the time to discuss how to make this work meaningful.
As usual, only about half of our goals for 2006 have been accomplished. It might be wise to undertake only three projects next year. The website has been cleaned up so that it is nearly timeless and will need only annual maintenance. Large art-print quality copies of the Tunk Watershed Map are available from the Downeast Salmon Federation for a donation of $25. The visitor center is on hold and our eco-tourism efforts will be spun off to my Longwalker brand. The year of the canoe project resulted in most of the put-ins and portages being marked with clamshells. These access points are often non-point source pollution sites where erosion is degrading the water quality of Tunk Stream. The introduction of “calcium breadcrumbs” makes for good, safe footing for people launching their boats while stopping the erosion and promoting healthy root systems in the neighboring vegetation to stabilize the area. Clamshells act as a time release source of acid rain fighting minerals so our effort addresses three problems at once. This is a perfect example of our goal of establishing customs and traditions that over time will improve the health of the watershed.
This year began with The Nature Conservancy purchasing 10,000 acres in the northern part of Township 10 including the peak of Tunk Mountain and extending to the West Branch of the Narraguagus River. The total number of protected acres in the area is now over 27,000. Also, we would like to welcome Bob Babcock to the neighborhood. Bob has purchased Joe Maloney’s property at the corner of Route 182 and Tunk Stream. Originally from Cherryfield, he is a retired watershed protection professional. This brings another key property into the hands of a member of Friends of Tunk.

Early this year the federal recovery plan for the endangered Atlantic salmon was at last released. Atlantic salmon are an indicator species, their presence or absence can be used to judge the health of the watershed. While the fate of the Tunk salmon remains a mystery, the salmon habitat in Tunk Stream is covered by the listing. But without taking the government to court it is unlikely that the endangered species act will help to protect Tunk Stream.
This spring, I participated in an experiential tourism workshop in Machias and the Black’swoods Scenic By-Way committee meetings in Cherryfield. At the workshop we learned about creating itineraries of local attractions. This ties in well with the inventory of recreational sites along Route 182 we have been doing for the by-way committee. I prepared a draft of the eight best access points but the Bureau of Parks and Lands objected. Their position seems to be that visitors to the area should be self-reliant and not expect services like brochures, maps, well marked and maintained trails. This is a wilderness area management philosophy which all the members of FoT I have spoken to support. The by-way committee is focused on improving the Tunk Lake boat launch with a privy, picnic tables and more parking. Tunk Lake is shaping up to be the central access point for the area.
I got a letter in November saying the final draft of the Public Reserve Downeast Region management plan will be ready this month and finalized by the end of the year. It has now taken 12 years to complete a 10 year management plan. The fact that the stewardship issue has not been dealt with has discredited the Land for Maine’s Future Program and conservation efforts in general. Community watershed monitoring is the answer!
Ashby D. Bladen 11/30/06